Tales from the Nathan James
by lizb1813
Summary: One-shots based on one-liners I find online. May be Tom x Rachel (or not) - don't know what stories I'll end up writing. All are edited by yours truly.
1. Pens & Knee-Knockers

Prompt #1 that I randomly found online: "So, do you always swear in French?"

Yes, I've taken a few liberties - you'll see.

*D*D*G*1*5*1*

"So, do you always swear in French?" Tom inquired as he ducked through the hatch of the helicopter bay after hearing loud yelling in another language. Rachel was - for some reason unbeknownst to him - on the floor underneath her desk on all fours.

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Rachel replied, tears in her eyes, rubbing her aching head where it had made contact with the underside of her work station.

"Why?" Tom made his way over to her desk and crouched down beside her. He located the errant pen, picked it up, and placed it carefully on her desk.

"I just… don't want the kids to pick up any bad language because of me. And I never know when they'll pop in - much like the ship's captain-," Rachel raised her eyebrows, "so I've started swearing in French. Or Spanish. Or German."

"Rachel, this is a Navy destroyer. Ever hear the saying, "swear like a sailor"?"

Rachel shook her head back and forth. Tom stood up and offered her a hand, which she gladly took, and rose to her feet.

"Well, there's a reason for the saying," Tom chuckled. "The kids will be fine. Trust me. And I think hitting your head on the underside of a desk allows you some privileges. Speaking of hitting your head, turn around and let me look," Tom directed.

"I'm—" Tom started circling his pointer finger around in a circle prompting Rachel to reluctantly turn around. She felt his fingers gingerly parting her long, brown locks. Gently, so as to not cause her any more pain, he felt around for the bump.

"Well, good news is no blood. Bad news, there's probably a dent in that desk."

Rachel scoffed as she turned toward the captain.

"Anything you wanted, Captain? Or did you just want to ask about my swearing tendencies and make fun of my hard cranium?"

"No, I'm good," Tom smiled as he backed up in the direction of the hatch.

"Captain—"

"I'll talk to you later, Doc—" Tom never finished as he tripped over the knee knocker, causing him to slam onto the floor of the passageway. Rachel's mouth gaped open. "Captain?" She hurried over to him, lying dazed and confused.

"Are you okay?"

"Ask me when there aren't anchors flying around my head." Cautiously, Tom stood. "I'm fine… I'll just… head that way…" the captain vaguely pointed.

"Have a good day, Dr. Scott - don't lose any more pens - and feel free to swear like a sailor in English next time," Tom warily made his way fore.

"Will do, Captain, and watch out for the knee knockers!" she called out to the consternation of the captain as three petty officers made their way by him. Tom shook his head - he wasn't going to be living this down anytime soon.

*D*D*G*1*5*1*

Can't wait to find some more one-liners that I think would pertain to the crew of the _James_. I'm still starting out, but can't wait to polish my writing a little.


	2. The Bomb Exploded

This one is teenie tiny... but I wanted to write something. I'll maybe/probably continue this later. And sorry for not updating anything lately - I may be moving to another country soon & life has been crazy as all get out (as you can imagine). PS - If anyone wants to build off of this, feel free. Just make sure you say where you got it.

"The bomb exploded."

*!*!*

The bomb exploded.

Captain Chandler watched on, tears streaming down his cheeks, as fragments of the Nathan James lit up the night sky like fireworks on the 4th of July. Nobody would be walking away from the detonation; Tom was a half mile away and even he could feel the heat on his dirt-smeared face.

The Captain dropped to his knees with a thud, feeling the weight of the over 200 souls weighing down his shoulders. Out of breath from trying to warn the ship, his large frame crumpled in on itself, alone.


	3. A Rescue

So, writing has started to be my stress relief. Hence why you get another drabble tonight. This evening's foray is my first experimentation with first person. Not going to lie, I HATE reading first person. So that's why I tried this. If you can't stand something, that means you have to do it, right? Also, the prompt was "A Rescue Story." I was supposed to try and surprise the reader, but yeah... I'm a sucker for happy endings. (Except in ch. 2... but we don't know what _really_ happened to the James, do we? :) ) So, without further ado, here ya go!

*D*D*G*1*5*1*

 _Oh, boy. I'm never going to live this one down_ , I thought to myself as the waves lapped gently against my head. My legs and arms exerted just enough effort to keep my face above water. Not having a life jacket was proving to be a tad difficult, but I was determined to stay afloat. _Just keep swimming, just keep swimming_ , I chuckled to myself, accidentally inhaling seawater. _Note to self, don't laugh._

I groaned as I shook my head back and forth. _How do I find myself in these situations?_ My jeans were starting to chafe everywhere - they were about ready to swim with the fishes along with my already discarded boots and socks. _I cannot lose the top. I'd never be able to look any one on the ship in the eye again. But at least that would mean that I'm alive. Hmmm…._

Luckily the water around me was tropical. I wasn't sure if we were over the continental shelf when I had "taken the plunge" - involuntarily, mind you - so I wasn't sure if I was about to be somebody's midnight snack. _Let's hope I don't meet the same fate as most of the sailors aboard the_ USS Indianapolis. I shook my head at the gruesome thought of being eaten alive and strove to punch a hungry shark right in the mouth should the opportunity arise.

My legs and arms soon began to feel like heavy weights and I was starting to fatigue badly. _Can't die. The cure must still be reproduced. I'm needed._

I struggled on, constantly on the alert for any ship - _my ship_ \- to show up on the horizon. _Please notice that I'm gone… please_. I chastised myself for constantly holing up in the help bay turned lab and not traveling to the wardroom often enough for someone - anyone - to miss my presence.

As the hours wore on, I tried floating on my back in order to rest my fatigued limbs. Morning broke - _a gorgeous sunrise if I do say so myself_ \- and still I persevered. _I did not live through an outbreak of an epidemic, produce a vaccine, outwit crazy Russians, walk out of Baltimore physically unscathed, and survive a deranged submarine only to fall overboard and almost drown. Oh the irony._

The sun continued to beat down on my face as I alternated treading and laying on my back. _How long have I been out here? 6? 7 hours? Maybe more? Please, God, send the_ Nathan James _back for me!_

Not long after, I began to hear a sound that I knew I could not be hearing: it sounded like a lawnmower. By this time I didn't have the energy to lift my eyes to the heavens to see what my mind was concocting in this soundless place. The lawnmower sound vacated my head and I prayed that drowning wouldn't be as painful as I had once heard. _I'm so glad that all of my notes are written down; HM Rios should be able to follow everything and explain it to another virologist. They'll understand it all…_

My arms and legs continued to slow down and my nose was barely above water; I knew it would be any time now. Although, if it had only been six or seven hours, I surely was a wimp for not being able to tread longer. _Ah, but those chaps haven't been pulling all nighters and skipping meals trying to replicate a cure to save the human race,_ I chided myself. _No matter, I tried my best._

A _thwick thwick thwick_ sound soon pierced my skull, and continued to louden. _Oh, why can't the lawnmower come back? My goodness, brain… maybe if I just place my head under water for a little bit…_ I lowered my face into the salty spray as I heard a muffled sound behind me. Not having much energy to spare, I slowly lifted my head from the water. _I don't even have the energy to punch the shark_ , I lamented as I tried to open my eyes, only to be met with a big blob of blue.

I heard a chuckle. "Don't worry, Doctor, I don't bite… hard."

"Captain," I rasped as he took me into his arms.

I was safe.


End file.
